The Here and Now
by thelonelyone
Summary: It's a Valentine's Day story unlike any other... please read and review... thanks.
1. I Sorta Have Plans

Disclaimer: They are not mine, and I am sad…

A/N1: This is DJE's last season on JAG… no more Harm… I am sad, and so I must write… and so must Sarah. I felt like crying when I found out that it's official: DJE is not coming back if JAG gets signed on for another season… I wanted to cry, but couldn't… Sarah on the other hand was bawlin'… so yeah, we're sad… and what do we do? WRITE FANFIC! It's only 5 chapters, and I really don't see us adding anymore to it... but you guys are welcome to enjoy what's here... Chapter 1 is Harm's POV, 2 is Mac's, 3 is Harm's... etc. we started with Harm, we ended with Harm... that's just how we like to do things..

A/N2: We wrote most of this Saturday night. We finished it up yesterday and both of us decided to post it on Valentine's Day…kinda like giving y'all a present… Writing this helped us deal with the whole DJE's-not-coming-back thing. No more Harm? (sobs) Oh, well, I'm going to hang in there and keep watchin' anyway. I still love DJE, just not as much as I used to…and besides, I happen to adore CB and if JAG is on for another year, I'll watch it just to keep up with what's going on in Mac's life… I'm pathetic, I know… Anyway, Sarah and I wrote this together and we hope you enjoy it. Happy Valentine's Day, y'all.

The Here and Now

Chapter One:

"I Sort of Have Plans"

She has shot me down more times than I care to count… so this time, I'm not giving her a chance to say no. I'm taking the first step…

First things first: work up the nerve to walk over to her door and knock…

I take a deep breath, exhale, and walk towards her office.

So much for the knocking… she's walking out of her office and closing the door behind her..

I take another deep breath, exhale, then I make my way over to her.

"Hey." I say lamely.

Of all the possible greetings, I choose 'hey'? What the hell is wrong with me?

"Hey." She says, adjusting the files she is carrying.

I take her cover out of her hand and carefully place it on her head. She smiles up at me, and I return her smile.

"Let me get those." I suggest, expecting her usual 'I'm a Marine, I can do it my damn self' protest.

There is no protesting as she hands me the files.

"Thanks." She says, reaching into her pocket and pulling out her keys. "I'm tired." She says, letting out a sigh.

"I'll walk you to your car." I say, all confidence melting away as I look into her eyes.

Maybe this wasn't such a good idea…

"You mean to tell me that you've got nothing better to do on Valentine's Day than to walk me to my car?" She asks playfully.

I smile.

"Actually, I do have plans… well, I sort of have plans.. It depends…" I say, wondering about the look in her eyes.

"Oh." She says, determined to show no emotion, her expression rigid.

Once in the elevator, she leans back against the wall and closes her eyes.

I frown, and, making a split second decision, I put the files on the floor.

I take a few steps in her direction and reach out to her. Pulling her into my arms, I whisper, "You look like you need a hug."

She relaxes in my arms and I hear her sigh.

I kiss her on top of her head and pull away slightly.

The doors slide open and I grab the files and tuck them under my arm.

"C'mon. Lets get out of here." I say, motioning for her to follow me.

We walk to her car in silence.

She unlocks the door and turns to take the files from me.

"Thanks for carrying these… and for the hug." She says, offering me a weak smile.

"Anytime." I say, handing her the files.

"See you tomorrow." She says, slipping into her car and closing the door.

I watch as she fastens her seatbelt. She waves and I wave back. She starts the car and backs out of her parking spot.

Without so much as a backwards glance, she is gone.

What's done is done. There's no turning back now…

I jog over to my Lexus, get in, and fasten my seatbelt. I start my SUV and for the first time in too long, I close my eyes and say a prayer.

"God, please… I love her. Please let this work… Amen." I say, checking my mirrors and backing out of my parking space.

I follow her at a safe distance, and for some reason, I am smiling…

I should be nervous as hell… but I'm not.

I should be worried how this will turn out… but I'm not.

All I can do is smile.

She pulls up in front of her building, kills the engine, unfastens her seatbelt, and gets out of the car. With files in her arms, she makes her way inside.

Once she is inside, I pull up behind her car and wait.

I'll give her a few minutes…

Then…

I'll make my move.


	2. Just Relax

Disclaimer: No, I don't own 'em… but, God, I wish that DPB would give 'em to me…

A/N: That was Harm, this is Mac…

The Here and Now

Chapter Two:

"Just Relax…"

I hate Valentine's Day. I didn't used to, but failed relationships and broken hearts will do that for you. They will make you hate anything and everything that is even remotely related to love.

I sigh.

He has plans… probably with blonde hair, big eyes…

I somehow manage to hold these files and slip my key into the door.

Once the door is open, my jaw drops…

Scattered all over my floor are red rose petals. Candles have been lit, and about four feet from me sits this huge teddy bear that's holding a heart-shaped box of chocolates.

At my kitchen table, two candles have been lit and two places have been set.

I carelessly drop the files onto the floor and walk in, closing and locking the door behind me.

My heart is racing and for a second, I am scared…

I mentally go down a list of people who could have done this… and the first name that pops into my mind makes me feel sick…

Webb.

I'd just as soon shoot him as I would look at him… I thought I made myself clear… no, I know I did..

I look around at the carefully place candles, breathe in their fresh linen scent, and I smile.

This wasn't done by Webb.

I spot the red model bi-plane on my mantle and I laugh. Little white hearts have been hand-painted down the sides of the plane, and there is a note propped up against it.

I kick my shoes off and walk over to the plane. I pick up the note and read it.

"CALL ME" is written in his hand writing.

I pull my cell phone out of my pocket and press three then SEND. I watch as 'HARM-CELL' pops up on the screen.

It rings once… twice… then…

"Hello?" He says casually.

"Hey… where are you?" I ask, smiling to myself as I walk around my apartment.

I hear him laugh a little before he says, "Open the door."

With that, I hear the line go dead.

I press END and toss my cell phone and my cover into my chair.

How on earth did he pull this off?

I walk over to my door, unlock it, and pull it open.

There he stands, roses in hand, a smile on his face.

"I thought you sort of had plans." I say, smiling at him.

"May I come in?" He asks, his smile fading as he looks into my eyes.

This is what he meant when he said 'I sort of have plans… it depends". Whether or not he has plans depends on me, depends on my reaction…

"Of course you can." I say, still smiling.

"These are for you." He says, stepping inside and closing the door behind him.

He hands me the roses, then he leans in and kisses me on the cheek.

"Thank you. They're beautiful…" I say, instantly intoxicated by the combination of fresh linen candles and the fresh scent of roses.

"So are you." He says smiling once again, and I feel my insides get warm.

"How did you do all of this?" I ask, looking around once again.

His smile widens, if possible, as he says, "I had a little help… Harriett says 'hi'… I gave her my spare key and gave her some ideas on how I wanted the place to look.."

I make a mental note to call Harriett and bombard her with appreciation.

"I love it." I tell him, noticing for the first time that he appears to be a little nervous.

"The best is yet to come… Follow me." He says, taking a few steps toward me.

He takes my hand in his and pulls me into my bathroom, turning the lights on.

My bathroom has been decorated as well, with rose petals scattered everywhere.

"Time to relax…" He says, letting go of my hand.

I watch him as he goes about running my bath water. He lights a few candles and then he looks at me.

"Your clothes are on the shelf… slip out of your uniform and into the tub… then, just relax. While you're relaxing, I'll be in the kitchen. Italian okay with you?" He asks, blatantly looking me over.

I smile.

"Italian sounds great." I tell him.

"It'll be ready in about an hour." He says, heading towards the kitchen, closing the bathroom door on his way out.

I peel my uniform off and toss it onto the floor. The next thing to go is my bra, then the panty hose, then the panties..

I slip into the tub and moan.

This man is amazing…

He has somehow managed to run the perfect bubble bath. The temperature is perfect, not too hot, not too cold, and there are just enough bubbles floating around..

I close my eyes and, smiling, I let out a sigh.

Maybe Valentine's Day isn't that bad after all…


	3. Chocolate is Chocolate

Disclaimer: I still don't own 'em.

A/N1: By now, you should know where we're going to take this… where do Sarah and I always take it? I mean, it's Valentine's Day… and they're in love… Men: take notes… this is how it's done..

A/N2: Sarah and I actually opened a box of chocolates and ate them all in order for Mac to be able to ramble on and on about the types of chocolate found inside of one of them heart-shaped boxes… we really will do anything for JAG, even if that means eating chocolate until we're both ready to hurl…

The Here and Now

Chapter Three

"Chocolate is Chocolate"

The noodles are boiling, the sauce is simmering, the salad is ready and waiting, and the bread has been buttered and is now toasting…

In my pocket, my cell phone starts vibrating.

I check the caller ID and smile.

"Hello?" I whisper.

"How's it going, Sir?" I hear her ask.

I smile.

"Harriett, call me Harm… and I think it's going well." I tell her, stirring the sauce.

"Sorry, Sir.. I mean, Harm. How did she like the roses? Is she soaking in the tub? Have you changed clothes yet?" She fires off a series of questions in one breath.

Typical Harriett.

"She thought they were beautiful, yes, she's soaking, and no, I haven't changed yet. I'm about to do that now." I tell her.

While cradling the phone with my neck and my shoulder, I somehow manage to strain the noodles.

"Is dinner ready?" She asks, almost squealing.

I don't know who's more excited about this, me or Harriett…

"It's almost ready. I've got to go change… thanks again, Harriett, for everything." I tell her.

"No problem, Sir. Good luck." She says.

I press END and slip my cell phone into my pocket.

Harriett's never going to stop the "Sir" thing, no matter how many times I call her on it…

The sauce is done, and the garlic bread is almost done. I've got just enough time to change clothes before I need to take the bread out of the oven.

I walk into Mac's bedroom and find my overnight bag waiting in the corner.

I peel my uniform off, toss on a crisp, black pocket tee, and pull on an old, faded pair of jeans. No socks. I'm more comfortable barefooted…

I cram my uniform into my overnight bag and take a deep breath.

I jog into the kitchen to find her taking the bread out of the oven.

I smile and attempt to swallow the lump in my throat as I look her over.

Her hair is down, and slightly damp, her shirt is low-cut, her jeans are tight, and her feet are bare. She looks amazing.

"God, this smells good… and I'm starving." She says, smiling.

"What's new?" I ask playfully, and she rolls her eyes in return.

"You going to keep staring at me, or are you going to feed me?" She asks, and I laugh.

Only she would be brazen enough to call me on it…

I busy myself piling food onto our plates as she fixes us a salad and grabs us two bottles of water. I smile to myself, noticing that we work well together in the kitchen.

Once we are finished, I pull her chair out for her and she sits down.

"This looks good…" She says, smiling as she eyes the food that has been placed before her.

I laugh as she hesitates, trying to decide what to eat first.

We eat in comfortable silence, and once we are finished, we clear the table together. I wash dishes and she dries them and puts them away. Once again, I am stuck by how well we work together, struck by how natural this feels…

Once we're finished in the kitchen, she runs over to the big teddy bear and picks him up. She drags him over to the couch and starts giggling.

Walking over to the couch and sitting down next to her, I laugh as she pries the chocolate out of the bear's paws then tosses the bear aside.

"The best part about getting a bear that's holding chocolate is the chocolate." She says, opening the heart-shaped box.

I laugh as she hands me the top to the box of chocolates.

"Want a piece?" She asks, eyeing the chocolates hungrily.

"Sure." I say, leaning in close to her to look into the box.

"Which piece do you want?" She asks, smiling at me.

I shrug.

"Does it matter?" I ask.

Chocolate is chocolate.

"Does it matter? Harm, are you kidding me? Of course it matters... There's dark chocolate, milk chocolate, cherry truffles, orange truffles, raspberry truffles, chocolate with caramel, chocolate with vanilla crème, chocolate with chocolate crème, chocolate with almonds, chocolate with a peanut butter center, chocolate with lemon filling, coffee flavored chocolate… So, what piece do you want?" She asks again.

I laugh as I say, "Just give me a piece of whatever's good. Chocolate is chocolate."

"Chocolate is chocolate? Only you would say that… What are you in the mood for?" She asks, showing me the box of chocolate.

Answering that question honestly could get me into a lot of trouble… I'm in the mood, but tell her exactly what I'm in the mood for? That could ruin everything…

"They all look the same, Mac." I say, shrugging again.

"Exactly… you really can't tell them apart, Harm. You pick one, you eat it, you identify it. Repeat as desired. Do you just want me to pick one for you?" She asks, impatiently.

Coming between Mac and food is dangerous…

Coming between Mac and chocolate?

That's suicide.

"Yeah, just pick one for me." I tell her, closing my eyes and opening my mouth.

Surprise me, Mac…


	4. Come and Get It

Disclaimer: They don't belong to us, but that has never stopped us before, has it? Nope… it never has… and you know, it probably never will, will it? (Sarah is shaking her head 'no'.) So yeah, take that DPB and CBS…

A/N1: Sarah and I just have to tell y'all that writing this was made possible by putting Mario's "Let Me Love You" on repeat. That song is just hot… just like this chapter…

The Here and Now

Chapter Four

"Come and Get It"

I smile as he closes his eyes and tells me to pick a piece of chocolate for him.

I look into the box and smile. When it comes to chocolate, random selection is a beautiful thing…

I pick up a small piece of chocolate with my thumb and index finger and carefully, slowly slip it into his mouth.

"Don't bite down into it just yet… let it melt." I tell him, watching his eyes flutter open.

"Mmmm…" He moans, nodding his head in approval.

"Good, huh?" I ask him, watching as he nods again. "I figured you'd like that. Now tell me that chocolate is just chocolate." I say, watching as his expression changes. "What kind of chocolate is it?" I ask.

He shrugs and mumbles, "I can't tell."

I take the box lid from him, put it back on the chocolates, and put the chocolates on my coffee table. He eyes me questioningly as I lean in close to him, my lips just inches away from his…

"I bet I can tell you what kind it is…" I tell him, as he leans in a little.

Our lips touch and he opens his mouth, granting my tongue access.

I taste chocolate, cherries… and him…

When we pull away, we're both a little breathless… and he is smiling.

"So what kind of chocolate was that?" He asks, eyebrow raised.

"That, Harm… was a cherry truffle." I tell him, licking my lips.

He smiles and grabs the box of candy.

"Your turn… I'll pick a piece, you'll eat it, and then tell me what it is…" He says, opening the box.

He studies the chocolates carefully, then flashes me a smile.

"Ready?" He asks.

I nod, close my eyes, and open my mouth.

I feel him slip the chocolate into my mouth and I close my mouth and wait for the chocolate to melt.

I taste chocolate and coffee… and him…

I smile and open my eyes.

"I know what this one is… care to guess?" I ask him, raising an eyebrow.

He shrugs.

"I guess I could try…" He says, leaning in for another kiss..

This kiss is a little longer, a little deeper… with him in control completely…

When he pulls away, he is smiling.

"You taste good… like chocolate and coffee…" He tells me, still smiling. "My turn…" He adds, passing me the box of chocolates.

I laugh, wondering what kind of game this is that we are playing…

I don't think the game has a name, but I don't care… as long as we keep playing…

I pick a piece of chocolate and he opens his mouth.

I toss it in, he closes his mouth, and instantly, there's a funny expression on his face.

"Eww, gross…" He says, spitting the piece of chocolate into my waiting hand.

"I didn't think you'd like that…" I say, laughing, tossing the piece of chocolate into my mouth and eating it.

"That was kind of… bitter… don't tell me you like that." He says, frowning in disapproval.

"So, you don't like dark chocolate?" I ask, smiling.

"Guess not…" He says, wrinkling up his nose and shaking his head.

"You'll like this one…" I promise him, reaching into the box and pulling out a piece of chocolate.

I put the piece of chocolate in my mouth, and before it has melted, I grab him by his shirt and pull him closer to me.

Completely in control and determined to have my way with him, I deepen the kiss and our tongues dual.

When the kiss ends, I have lost my piece of chocolate…

"Whoa…" He says, as I pull him close to me once again.

"You've got something that belongs to me." I tell him, flashing him a smile.

"If you want it… come and get it." He says, flashing me that flyboy grin.

I take him up on his offer, and with a kiss, I take back the orange truffle…

When we pull away, we are both smiling and laughing.

"That was good." I tell him, letting go of his shirt.

"That _was_ good…" He says, standing up and taking me by the hand. "But it's about to get better."

I follow him over to the CD player and watch as he presses PLAY.

"We're going to dance?" I ask, flooded by disbelief.

"Not only are we going to dance… but we're going to dance… to your favorite song." He tells me, smiling.

I am surprised as Keith Urban's 'Memories of Us' starts to play. He pulls me close to him and we start to sway as the lyrics softly float out into the air…

_I'm gonna be here for you, Baby,_

_I'll be a man of my word._

_Speak the language in a voice_

_That you have never heard…_

_I wanna sleep with you forever,_

_And I wanna die in your arms_

_In a cabin by a meadow_

_Where the wild bees swarm…_

_And I'm gonna love you,_

_Like nobody loves you._

_And I'll earn your trust_

_Making memories of us… _

_I wanna honor your mother_

_I wanna learn from your paw_

_I wanna steal your attention_

_Like a bad outlaw…_

_I wanna stand out in a crowd for you,_

_A man among men._

_I wanna make your world better_

_Than it's ever been…_

_And I'm gonna love you,_

_Like nobody loves you._

_And I'll earn your trust_

_Making memories of us… _

_We'll follow the rainbow_

_Wherever the four winds blow_

_And there'll be a new day_

_Comin' your way…_

_I'm gonna be here for you from now on_

_This you know somehow_

_You've been stretched to the limits_

_But it's alright now…_

_And I'm gonna make you a promise_

_If there's life after this_

_I'm gonna be there to meet you_

_With a warm, wet kiss…_

_And I'm gonna love you,_

_Like nobody loves you._

_And I'll earn your trust_

_Making memories of us… _


	5. Nothing Else Matters

Disclaimer: I didn't own 'em in chapters 1-4, and, unfortunately, chapter 5 will be no different…

A/N: I am notorious for starting a story and never finishing it. I get bored easily. I'm a journalist, not a short story writer or a novelist. What I do is write short little memorable nothings… Half way through this piece, I yawned and then said to Sarah, "This is getting too long. We've got to wrap this up, or it's going to become another something we started but didn't finish." She's big on finishing what she starts, so yeah… I mean, I seriously started to scrap this story because it was getting too long for my taste… but Sarah promised me we could finish it with this chapter, so yeah… I gave in… obviously…

A/N2: Keith Urban is the man… I love his voice, and the song used in the previous chapter and referred to in this one is not mine, but I used it… and hey, what can I say? 'I'm sorry I used a kick-ass song to make my fanfic better?' No… I'm not going to say that… Duh.

Enjoy, and c'mon, after reading all of this… please… review..

The Here and Now

Chapter Five

"Nothing Else Matters"

During the song, we dance slowly, our bodies melded together as one, moving rhythmically to the smooth, southern sounds filling the air.

Having her here, in my arms, feels good.

The impact she has on me is beyond my comprehension. I don't get to hold her often, but when I do, it's as if time is standing still.

I am not allowed a moment's peace, or a moment of pleasure without pain, but when I am holding her, my soul is allowed a brief reprieve, and I am as close as I will ever get to knowing true happiness.

The song ends and I pull her closer to me.

We're no longer swaying, and I'm not sure, but I think that she is crying.

I kiss her on top of the head and whisper, "Happy Valentine's Day, Mac."

She looks up at me, and, streaking her beautiful face, are tears…

"Oh, Mac… please don't cry." I say, pressing my lips to hers.

It's a gentle kiss, and as I pull away, she whispers, "I don't deserve this…"

I wipe away her tears with my thumbs and once again, I press my lips to hers. When I pull away, I flash her a smile.

"You deserve this and more…" I assure her, pulling her into my arms.

"After everything that I've put you through…" She says, her voice trailing off.

I take her by the hand and lead her over to the couch.

We sit down next to each other, and I wrap my arm around her, pulling her up against me.

"Mac, the past is the past. I'm here now… and you're here with me. Everything else just seems to fail to compare to what we've got right here, right now." I tell her.

"Do you love me?" She asks, turning around to look me in the eyes.

I take a deep breath before telling her, "Yes, I do… I have for as long as I can remember…"

There is a pause before she continues.

"And you want to be with me?" She asks, her tone serious, her voice shaky.

I nod. "Yes. I want to be with you… If not now, then… whenever you're ready. I'll wait… you're worth the wait…"

"I've got so much to work through… so much to think about. You'll be here to help me?" She asks, tears forming in her eyes.

"I'll be here for you for forever… and a day." I promise her, taking her hand in mine.

"We've got a lot of scars… and the odds are against us…" She reminds me with a weak smile.

"Scars fade, and I've never been one to look at odds." I tell her, caressing her palm with my thumb.

"There's just so much between us, Harm… it's going to take time to build trust." She says, looking down at our intertwined fingers.

"I trust you… and I've got the rest of my life to earn your trust. I love you, Mac." I tell her, watching her as she lifts her head so that she can make eye contact with me once again.

She's still frowning as she tells me, "There's just so much… I don't even know where to start, and I can't expect you do just forgive and forget…"

I sigh.

"Mac, I love you… that's all that matters." I tell her, wondering when it's going to sink it.

"I love you too… I'm just worried about the past coming back to haunt us." She says, her voice filled with concern.

"All is forgiven, and if we make new memories… then all of the past can be forgotten. If the past is forgotten, it can't haunt us… Mac.. I love you… There's you, and there's me… and nothing else matters." I say, pressing my lips to hers in a kiss.

The kiss is deepened, and when I pull away to breathe, she is smiling.

She stands up, pulling me up with her.

"So, nothing matters?" She asks, moving closer to me.

Her eyes are bright and full of love and something that strongly resembles desire…

"Nothing matters but the here and now." I whisper, pulling her into my arms.

She is still holding my hand, and as she turns around, she tugs me towards her bedroom.

"C'mon, sailor. I'm tired, and I want you to hold me…"

Now, who am I to deny her request?

We end up under the covers, talking, cuddling, and laughing…

We'll worry about tomorrow tomorrow.

All that matters is the here and now…

Eventually, we both drift off to sleep…


	6. MorningBreath Remedy

Disclaimer: Uh, no… they're not mine… or Sarah's… but we like to play with things that don't belong to us.. lol

A/N1: After having our egos stroked like that with those reviews, Sarah and I decided to get together and give you guys… are you ready! ANOTHER CHAPTER! This is Mac's POV, written by me with the assistance of my oh-so-talented roommate, Sarah... anyway, we're back with more for y'all… All you have to do is feed us some kind words, and we'll come back… Don't we always come back? You guys want more, or not? Let us know something...

A/N2: To the people who read my fanfic regularly and take the time to review: Thanks. It means a lot to know that y'all like my writing style. I hope to be a famous journalist, but for now, there is college and fanfic…

The Here and Now

Chapter Six

"Morning-Breath Remedy"

I open my eyes and, realizing who is next to me, I smile.

Light from a nearby lamp has my room dimly lit.

As I watch his chest rise and fall and listen to his uneven breaths, I can't help but wonder if he is dreaming.

This man is beautiful when he's walking, talking, and laughing… but when he's sleeping…

When he's sleeping, he's not worried, he's not under any stress… his features soften, and he is the most gorgeous man I have ever seen.

Carefully, I move closer to him, drawn to the heat of his body. I am not surprised to find that we fit together perfectly… we always have…

When we hug each other, when we dance together… it's always a perfect fit.

My hand finds its way to his chest and travels to his shoulder then back down. I slip my hand under his shirt and lightly graze his skin with my fingernails. Beneath my fingertips, I feel his muscles twitch a little.

He grunts, and I watch as his eyelids flutter open. We make eye contact and he flashes me a small smile.

"Good morning." He whispers, tightening his abs and upper body self-consciously.

"Good morning." I say, my hand roaming up his chest once again.

"What time is it?" He asks, stretching his arms above his head.

His muscles ripple then tighten as he stretches a little more.

"A little after two in the morning… these are nice." I tell him, massaging his muscles.

"You like?" He asks, sitting up a little.

I nod and he leans up and pulls his shirt off. I raise an eyebrow and he tosses his shirt onto the floor.

The thought of us making love at two in the morning crosses my mind, and I smile.

Two in the morning… from two until four… sleep two hours… shower together… go to work together… attempt to keep our hands to ourselves…

And then, after a day of meaningless words and actions, finally succumbing to a night of passion…

"I'm all yours." He says, smiling as I take in the sight of his bare chest.

"I'll be right back." I whisper, tossing the covers off of me and slipping out of bed.

"Where are you going?" He asks, puzzled.

"You'll see…" I promise, heading into my living room.

I reach into my purse and pull out what I need.

I smile, knowing that this is just an excuse to kiss him… again…

I jog back into my bedroom to find him laying in my bed, smiling.

"Okay… close your eyes." I tell him, climbing into bed and laying down next to him.

He tosses the cover over me then closes his eyes.

I slip a Listerine Breath Strip into my mouth and slowly climb on top of him.

I press my lips to his and as we kiss, his tongue dances with mine.

I hear him moan, and when I pull away he is smiling.

"That your way of telling me my breath stinks?" He asks, laughing.

I smile.

"Fresh breath is essential… kissing you again was just an added bonus." I tell him, pressing my lips to his once again.

He rests his hands on my thighs and when I pull away, I look into his eyes…

Bright blue-green sparks of passion stare back at me, and as his hands make their way to my waist, he pulls me closer to him.

The series of kisses and touches that follow our intense gaze is interrupted as he, in one quick motion, pins me to the bed.

I struggle to rid myself of my shirt as he plants kisses along my abdomen.

Once again we are kissing, groping, exploring each other's bodies...

"Naked… now…" I manage, in between breaths.

I watch his expression change as my words register.

In a matter of seconds, we are both undressing each other…

I've heard people talk about mind-blowing, life-altering sex… wild, hard-hitting, sweaty, sore-for-a-few-days sex…

This was nothing like that.

This was warm… passionate.. loving…

This was tender… sweet.. smooth motions that one can only dream about…

After making love, we snuggle up next to each other. He wraps his arms around me, and I move closer to him.

"I love you." He whispers, his fingers running through my hair.

With my head resting on his chest, I listen to his heart beat.

"I love you too." I tell him, closing my eyes and drifting off to sleep once again.


End file.
